The Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) is the world's largest organization serving the professional and business interests of attorneys who practice in the legal departments of corporations, associations, nonprofits and other private-sector organizations around the globe.
Sandra McLelland, Vice President and Assistant General Counsel-Employment & Labor, EIS Group
In what year did you start in your current position?
2022
In what year did you first work in-house?
2011
What law school did you attend?
University of Maryland School of Law
Where did you attend college and graduate school? What degrees do you hold?
Washington College, BA in History
Villanova University, MA in History
What do you consider to be your most pivotal career move?
Deciding to attend law school, as I had been professionally working for 8 years in HR before taking the plunge to combine my practical experience with a law degree.
What's the best thing about your current job?
Helping people in Ukraine. We have a significant footprint in Eastern Europe and we have a taken a “people first” approach to safety for our staff and extended family members.
What's the worst job you've ever had?
The summer I turned 16 I worked at McDonald’s. One of my duties was scrubbing the grease off of the tiled walls with a toothbrush! Pretty sure this falls into the “other duties as assigned” category.
What's the most valuable life lesson you still apply today?
Be kind to others. There is an inherent fear that many people have in engaging with the in-house legal department. My approach is to extend kindness to others, along with a healthy dose of humor, so that they don’t feel as if engaging legal is a trip to the principal’s office.
What do you consider to be the best thing about ACC membership?
The wealth of knowledge that is shared amongst the members, and the genuine candor and camaraderie that is exhibited.
How do you achieve work/life balance?
I’m not sure that I do achieve a balance, in particular with working remotely where the line between home and work is often blurred. This is an area where I welcome guidance from others!
If I were not practicing law, I'd...
...be a restaurant critic, although I really have no desire to critique restaurants; rather, I just want to be paid to eat!
My favorite vacation spot is...
...Cape May, NJ.
A place I've never been but would most like to visit is...
...Scotland. I had plans to go in June 2020 but the pandemic prevented the trip.
My all-time favorite movie is...
...Dr. Strangelove (which says a lot about my off-beat sense of humor!).
Even people who know me might be surprised to learn that...
...I never learned how to swim until a few years ago.
